Cap remover

ABSTRACT

A cap remover is described having a plastic body with a discshaped handle element and an opening for receiving a cup-shaped rubber gripping element. The sides of the cup-shaped rubber element are secured to the body. A spring is positioned between the body and the top wall of the gripping element to form a dimple to eject the cap after it is removed from a bottle.

United States Patent Inventor Melvin J. Herigstad 1105 South 1st St., Sunnyside, Wash. 98944 Appl. No. 821,307 Filed May 2, 1969 Patented June 8, 1971 CAP REMOVER 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 81/3.3, 81/124.1, 81/3.4 Int. Cl B67b 7/36 Field oiSeai-ch 81/33, 3.34, 3.4, 3.43, 3.1, 3.38, 3.1 B, 124.1, 64; 7/1 E, 14.6

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,985,045 5/1961 Grasty et a1 81/3.4

Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V. Parker, J r. Attorney-Wells & St. John ABSTRACT: A cap remover is described having a plastic body with a disc-shaped handle element and an opening for receiving a cup-shaped rubber gripping element. The sides of the cup-shaped rubber element are secured to the body. A spring is positioned between the body and the top wall of the gripping element to form a dimple to eject the cap after it is removed from a bottle.

CAP REMOVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved cap remover particularly effective for removing screw-threaded caps from containers such as beer and soda pop bottles.

In recent years pressurized containers such as beer bottles and soda pop bottles have been enclosed with screw-threaded caps frequently termed twist off" caps. Generally such caps are tightly sealed to the threaded mouth of the bottles to prevent pressure leakage. Frequently compressible seals are provided in the top of the cap for seating against the end ofthe bottle to prevent slight torque or vibrational forces from loosening the cap. As most people have found it takes considerable effort to remove the caps.

Persons who work in taverns and restaurants have considerable difficulty in opening large numbers of the bottles without injuring their hands. It is not uncommon for waitresses to develop extremely sore hands in opening twist of bottles during a work shift. Generally the soft tissue between the thumb and the first index finger becomes quite sore in applying adequate torque to the cap to break the seal.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a cap remover that is inexpensive to manufacture which can efficiently remove bottle caps from pressurized containers with a minimum of time and effort.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a cap remover that automatically ejects the cap after it is removed from the bottle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cap remover that can be efficiently manufactured and easily operated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cap remover that may be either mounted on a bracket to a wall surface or easily manipulated in the operator's hand to remove twist off caps from beer and soda pop bottles.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon the reading of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a cap remover embodying the principles of this invention for removing a screw-threaded cap from a bottle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cap remover mounted on a bracket;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing a bottle with a cap mounted therein being inserted into the cap remover;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 except showing the bottle being twisted to remove the cap; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 except showing the bottle removed and the cap remover automatically ejecting the removed cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. I there is shown a cap remover for removing a screw-threaded cap 11 from the threaded mouth 12 ofa container or bottle 13.

The cap remover has a housing 15 that includes a plastic body 16 having an upper disc section 17 for conveniently fitting with the palm of the user's hand. The disc section 17 has a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the cap to multiply the force or moment that can be applied to the cap during removal. The body I6 has a lower cylindrical section I8 having a downwardly directed cylindrical opening 20. A cylindrical cavity 2I is formed centrally in the cylindrical opening 18 along an axis ofthe cap remover.

A compression spring 23 is mounted in the cylindrical cavity 2] and projects into the opening 20.

The cap remover 10 includes a cup-shaped element of distortable material having a high coefficient of friction such as rubber mounted within the cylindrical opening 20. The cupshaped element 24 includes a socket 25 for receiving the cap. The socket 25 has a cylindrical sidewall 26 for engaging the side of the cap and a flexible top wall 27 for engaging the top of the cap. The sidewall 26 is secured to the inside of the cylindrical opening 20 by adhesive material. The flexible top wall 27 has a central portion 28 that is engaged by the compression spring 23 to normally form a depressed dimple in the socket 25.

In an alternate embodiment the housing 15 includes a bracket 30 that may be mounted to a wall surface for supporting the body 16 in a fixed position to facilitate usage in a restaurant or tavern so that the cap may be removed by one hand. The bracket 30 has a vertical section 31 that may be affixed to a wall section and a horizontal section 32 that may be affixed to the underside of a shelf or cabinet. An incline section extends upwardly and outwardly from the horizontal section 32 having a half circle aperture 34 formed in an upper edge thereof to receive the body 16 immediately below the disc section I7. The half circle aperture 34 forms a substantially U-shaped support 35. Screws 36 extend through the U- shaped support 35 and into the underside of the disc section I7 to rigidly secure the body 16 to the bracket 30.

If desired, a conventional bottle opener 29 may be affixed on the vertical section 31 to remove nonthreaded caps from the beer bottles and soda pop bottles.

During the operation of the cap remover the mouth section of the bottle 13 with the cap thereon is first inserted into the socket 25 with the top of the cap initially engaging the depressed central portion 28. Further movement of the cap moves the central portion upwardly compressing the spring 23. Such upward movement flattens out the flexible top wall to securely receive the cap against the cylindrical wall 26 and the top wall 28 to provide substantial frictional engagement. The cap remover may be rotated in one direction or the bottle may be rotated in the opposite direction to twist the cap from the threaded mouth as shown in FIG. 4. After the cap has been removed from the bottle and the bottle is moved away from the cap remover, the compression spring 23 deflects the central portion downwardly to automatically eject the cap from the cap remover.

Having now described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I present the following claims as a definition of my invent|on.

What I claim is:

1. A cap remover for unscrewing screw-threaded caps from threaded mouths of containers, comprising:

a. a housing having a central opening;

b. a cup-shaped gripping element mounted in the central opening of the housing having a socket for receiving the cap, said element being constructed of distortable material having a high coefficient of friction;

. said gripping element having a sidewall secured to the housing for receiving and gripping the side of the cap;

d. said gripping element having a flexible top wall for receiving and gripping the top of the cap; and

e. a compressible spring means mounted in the central opening biasing a central portion of the top wall into the socket forming a dimple, said spring means being adapted to compress when a cap on a container mouth is inserted into the cavity against the dimple to enable the sidewall and the top wall to frictionally engage the cap and for deflecting the central portion when the container is removed for automatically ejecting the cap from the socket.

2. A cap remover as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a disc-shaped handle having a diameter considerably greater than the diameter of the cap being removed to accommodate the users hand and to facilitate the easy removal of the cap from the container mouth.

3. A cap remover as defined in claim I wherein the housing includes a bracket that may be affixed to a support surface to support the cap remover. 

1. A cap remover for unscrewing screw-threaded caps from threaded mouths of containers, comprising: a. a housing having a central opening; b. a cup-shaped gripping element mounted in the central opening of the housing having a socket for receiving the cap, said element being constructed of distortable material having a high coefficient of friction; c. said gripping element having a sidewall secured to the housing for receiving and gripping the side of the cap; d. said gripping element having a flexible top wall for receiving and gripping the top of the cap; and e. a compressible spring means mounted in the central opening biasing a central portion of the top wall into the socket forming a dimple, said spring means being adapted to compress when a cap on a container mouth is inserted into the cavity against the dimple to enable the sidewall and the top wall to frictionally engage the cap and for deflEcting the central portion when the container is removed for automatically ejecting the cap from the socket.
 2. A cap remover as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a disc-shaped handle having a diameter considerably greater than the diameter of the cap being removed to accommodate the user''s hand and to facilitate the easy removal of the cap from the container mouth.
 3. A cap remover as defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a bracket that may be affixed to a support surface to support the cap remover. 